Potato-d



(No Model.)

W. T. GARRETT.

POTATO BIGGER.

No. 319,478. Patented June 9, 1885.

minesses: I 7 1717/02/36??? 0 MM I N. PETERS. PholwLilhogmphcr. Wishingfnri, D. C.

. sweet-potatoes I secure UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE,

WILLIAM T. GARRETT, OF JOHNSONTOWN,VIRGIN IA.

Po TATo-meeER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 319,478, dated June 9, 1885, Application filed September 20, 1884. (No model.)

i" 0 ctZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM T. GARRETT,

of J ohnsontown, in the county of Northampton and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Potato- Diggers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to pOtatodiggers; and the invention consists in certain details of construction, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

The drawing is a perspective view of my improved device complete and ready for use.

The object of my present invention is to provide an implement that shall be specially adapted to digging sweet-potatoes, and which may also be used for digging the ordinary or Irish potatoes.

Many forms of potatodiggers have heretofore been devised; but so far as I am aware none which were adapted to successfully dig sweet-potatoes.

To construct my improved device I provide a frame consisting of an ordinary plow-beam, A, handles L, stock B, and sole 0, which are united in the manner shown in the drawing, there being nothing new in these parts when considered merely as a frame. beam A are connected also by a diagonal brace, b, and bya metal standard, I, which latter, as shown, is curved so as to throw its body or main portion backward away from the share or lifting point D, so as to aflord clearage for such of the vines or weeds as may pass back of the vine-lifter H and cutter G. The rear end of the frame is supported on a fiat-faced wheel, F, which is made adjustable vertically, as shown, for the purpose of regulating the depth by giving more or less inclination or pitch to the share or lifter D, and also to enable it to be drawn more easily by reducing the friction which it would otherwise have upon the earth. It also serves to prevent the wearing away of the wooden sole 0, which is thus raised clear of the ground.

In order to lift and separate the vines of the to the beam A a forwardly-inclined and slightly-curved rod, H, which is pivoted at its rear upper end to the beam by a bolt, and which has pivoted to it a slotted brace, c, by means of which it can be raised or lowered and held at any desired of the ground.

The sole 0 and height, the object being to so adjust itthatits point shall just enter the surface of the earth,

so as to engage under and raise the vines clear I also provide a cutter, G, which is made with a sharp or cutting edge on its front, and which, as shown, is pivoted to the beam A in front of the lifter H, so as to stand inclined in the opposite direction or backward, this cutter and the lifter crossing each other at nearly a right angle, as shown, the cutter G being more inclined than the lifter for the purpose of enabling it to more readily cut the vines as they slide upon the lifter H and are brought against the edge of 6 5 the cutter as the implement is drawn forward. This cutter is pivoted to the beam A, and is provided with a series of holes for its pivotbolt, 7, and also has a slotted brace, Z, pivoted to it, as shown, by means of which it has a double adjustment, so that its inclination and height may be regulated or adjusted as desired.

The share or potato-lifter D consists of a tri: angular metal plate of V shape in cross-section, it increasing in width and in height from its point or front to its rear end, its lower edges being made parallel with the surface, so as to run fiat on the bottom of the furrow made by it, or nearly so, depending somewhat upon the adjustment of the wheel F. To this share or potato-lifter there is attached six round metal bars or rods a, asshown, three on each side, these rods being inclined a little upward from the faces of the share D and extending backward for a distance equal to the length of the share, or more, as shown. It will be observed that theinclination ofthe outermost of these rods a on each side is such that their rear ends are as high or higher than the 0 top of the sole 0, the object being to have their rear ends run clear of or above the soil at the sides of the furrow made by the share.

In order to remove any of the potatoes which may chance to remain after the share has passed, or which may be covered by the falling earth as it passes from the implement, I provide a rake, J, of the form shown, and se* cure it to one of the handles L by means of a bolt and clip, its upper portion being provided 1c 9 with a series of holes, by which it can be adjusted to run at any desired depth. This rake :in contact to the surface.

designed to enter the earth, but is to be so adj usted as to run just above the surface, so thati its edge shall not be dulled, but kept sharp,f to more effectually cut the vines and weeds, 3

mass, its cutting operation.

the earth and, potatoes,

separated at the center, and as it passes; over the share and is brought upon the rods J may have its body or stem curved, so as to cause its teeth or tines to run directly in line with the share; 'but I prefer to use two of them, one at each side, the construction and mode of attachment being the same as shown, except that the'other one would be attached to the opposite handle.

It will be observed that the tines 0 of the rake do not stand ina line directly across the furrow, but at an angle thereto of about fortyfive degrees, more or less, so that they will the more readily free themselves from anything with which they may come in contact. They are also inclined upward and backward,so as to lift any potatoes with which they may be brought The cutter G is not 4 the vines of sweet-potatoes, as is well known,.

spreading or running in all directions over the Q surface, thus forming a more or less tangled.

When the implement is to be used for dig-1 ging sweet-potatoes, it should have the vine-j lifterH and the cutter G attached, as shown in the drawing; As the implement is drawni along the row, the end of the vine-lifter H will;

jus't enter the surface of the ground underneath Z thevines, causing them to slide up thereoni vuntil broughtin contact with the inclined edge ofthe cutter G, which will cut or sever the? the mass will be par-*. tially a the potatoes will be screened from the'earth f 40 and left upon thesurface ready to be gathered i its great inclination greatly facilitating As the share D raises! When the implement is to be used for digging Irish potatoes, the'vine-lifter H and the cutter G will be detached, though in some cases where there are many weeds they may be retained and used to advantage.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A potato digger consisting of the V- shapedshare D,having a series of rearwardlyextending and upwardly-inclined rods, a, pro- V jecting from its rear edge, a frame, substantially such as shown, having its beam A and sole 0 connected by the curved standard I, and the adjustable'wheel F, all constructed and arranged to operate substantially as shown and described.

2. The forwardly-inclined rod H and the -rearwardly-inclined cutter G, both pivoted to the beam A,and adapted to be adjusted whereby their inclination and height may be varied 1' at will, substantially as shown and described. 3. The combination, in a potato-digger, off

.the share D, having the rods (1 attached thereto, secured to a frame substantially. such as shown, adj ustable vin'e-lifter H,'and cutter G, all arranged to operate substantially asdescribed.

4. In comblnation with apotato-digger such 7 as shown, the rake J, having its teeth 0' ar= ranged in a line'at an angle to thelineof draft 70 and inclining upwardand backward, attached to the handle L, and adapted .to be adjusted thereon, sub'stantiallyas shown and described.

'Witne'sses:

THos. O. WALsToN, A.-- W. BRADFORD.

I Z k the adjustable bearing-wheel F, the.

* WILLIAM T. 

